First Week Home!

On January 16th we went into Presbyterian St. Lukes for the last time. YEAH!!! Before we left the hospital we had to get him set up on his own portable oxygen tank. He also got his last shots and then we scooted out of the hospital as fast as we could before they changed their minds and told us that we needed to stay.



Before we left Denver we went to Brice and Cyndee's house to prove to them that we were going back to Montana and that we would finally be giving them their house back :).

They have been awesome through this whole ordeal. They literally found out one afternoon that we would be coming to stay with them, for what we thought would only be a week or two at tops. Two months later...well, lets say they still claim us as family. We love them so much, and words cannot describe what a blessing they have been in our lives.





Before we left town they threw a small going away party for Brecken. Here is a picture of the awesome cake that they got him...too bad he didn't get to eat any of it!



Since we have been home things have been going rather smoothly....for Brecken, as for John and I we are learning that sleep is a luxury of the past. We are hoping he will get into a schedule soon. He is still on the NICU schedule which basically means that if he wants something he gets it as soon as he makes noise, I don't operate that way so we have been having some troubles compromising. Also, in the NICU there was always light and noises, so John and I having to learn to sleep with the light on, and there always needs to be some sort of noise.

Furthermore, I look rather stylish these days walking around town with this nifty backpack that carries his oxygen tank. I know you are all jealous and want one for yourselves ;)



This is the machine that he is on at home. The nurse who set it up said that I will love it because it is a calming white noise. Fact: I disagree.



Sooo, on a happier note our friend, Traci, made this amazing hat for Brecken. Everytime we go out I put it on him. I have to say that I am in love with the bill on it!



Brecken ended his first week on a huge note! Tonight we took him to the Cat/Griz Basketball game. Awesome is a total understatement of how well he behaved. For the first half he slept and during the second half he sat on our laps and watched the game. No crying, no fussing. It was awesome...oh yeah, we won the game too! Go Cats!!!

I see the light....

It is official: Tomorrow we are going home!

Brecken has had a busy week getting to this point. On Monday he was circumcised and today they performed his last eye exam as well as gave him a dose of Synrgis for help prevent him from getting RSV.

Last night he also did the "carseat challenge," this challenge required him to sit in his carseat for four hours to make sure he maintained adequate oxygen levels--of which he did. We also were able to spend the night at the hospital with him last night too. It was kind of weird to have him all to ourselves. The nurses brought his crib into our room and unhooked his monitors. The only thing we had to worry about what his oxygen. I am guessing that this was suppose to be a dry run of what it will be like when we get home. It was great for me. Everytime I tried to get up to take care of him in the night John would tell me to just go back to bed.

End result of John's generousity: John is sleeping right now. I think he is still trying to recover from last night.



The night went pretty well. We fed and changed him a few times and for the first time EVER it felt as though we actually had a baby, don't get me wrong I have always felt like he was mine, but it seemed less real with all the doctors, monitors and nurses by our sides every minute.

Tomorrow, though, we make the long trek home. John and I both joked that when we were in Bozeman last week it felt as though Denver was more of a home then our new house....hopefully that will change when we bring the baby home.

Secretly, I am doing a little jig. For the mere fact that I get to go home, sleep in my own bed, and not have to make the awful drive to downtown Denver ever again (maybe not EVER again, just for not a long time).....:)

We have returned!

On New Year's Eve John and I drove home. John already had to go back to do year-end books for work and I wanted to go back to work and unpack the house. We were both scared to death to leave Brecken, but we figured that now would be the best time to get the house in order---instead of trying to unpack with the baby home. Even though we haven't hung anything on the walls or finished putting all the furniture where we want it to be it is now at a point where it is "livable". Unpacking has been an adventure in of itself. Let me explain....
We closed on the house the same week we had the baby, and because of the quick move to Denver we had to leave the moving from our old house to our new house to all of our friends in family. Kelty was a rock star, she coordinated the entire ordeal and managed to get a lot of people to help. John and I now joke that it is like Christmas in our house. Because we didn't get to pack anything everytime we unpack a box it is a real surprise to find out what is inside. BUT, we did manage to get a lot done over the week and I think we are to a point now where I feel comfortable to bring to little man home.


Old picture. But you get the jist, there is now a foot of snow covering the sod.


Master bath leading to my favorite place in the house....walk-in closet. ahhhh;)


Master bedroom. John jokes that this is the least furnished room of the entire house. Which is true. We decided to put our bedroom furniture in the spare room and I am waiting to get a new set for the master.

Living room, with our gigantic green wall and tiny, tiny tv.


Obviously, this is the kitchen table. The point that I am trying to make is that I NOW do not have to move the kitchen table to open the fridge door. I think I hear angels singing...

Now, this is where my heart sings. I now have a kitchen, with a stove that is full size. I even had to buy a stool to get to the top of the cupboard...I have never been so happy to be short.
Disclaimer: Yes, I realize I didn't include pictures of the nursery...you wouldn't either if you knew how dirty it is right now.

O.K. the moment you have all been waiting for. Brecken update!!!

While we were gone Brecken grew sooo much. I changed so much in one week. He gained nearly 1/2 a pound and he is now 6 lbs. 8 ounces. Luckily while we were gone John's sister-in-law Cyndee was able to go see him everyday. She is now going through withdrawals.

Today, he had an awesome day. He is now on what is called "low-flow" which is basically pure, straight-up, glorious oxygen. The cool thing about low-flow is that babies can go home on it. YEAH!!! He has been handling it great. His feedings are now a bit more sporatic because he is starting to eat when he is hungry. Also, they removed his gavage tube and he is now getting his medication in his bottle.

{Drumroll} the Doc called today and said that if he does well he could potentially.....go home this weekend. Now everyone grab your partner and do a little dosey doe!!!!

If that is the case we could be home very soon. If he still seems to be struggling I would imagine that we would only be here for a few more weeks. Either way I feel as though I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

New Home+No Vapotherm=happiness ;)

So, a few new things have occured. First of all, John and I drove home on New Year's Eve. He had to do year end books and inventory for work, and I wanted to work and try to get the house organized so I would not have to worry about it when we bring Breck home. I am now on Day 5 of NOT seeing Brecken and it is killing me, however the NEW house is clean!

This morning I talked to the nurses and they told us that they took him off of Vapotherm and put him on something similar to Vapotherm, but it has less water in it. Before, he was basically suffocating because the moisture was getting stuck in his nose. They were also able to turn him down to 2 leters (yeah)! He also took a bottle at every feeding yesterday, but he has been pretty tuckered out today so they have decided to gavage him.

Sorry, for not having pictures...I wish I could see what he looks like too ;)